Surgical splint.



A. A. RADCLIFFE.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1915. 1,326,580. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

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SURGICAL SPLINT.

APPLICATION FILED SULY10.1915.

1 26,530. Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

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UNITED STATEE PATENT OFFTCE.

ARTHUR A. RADCLIFFE, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

Application filed July 10, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, iJiTI-IUR AUeUs'rmn Rinomrrn, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of TVa-ukegan, county of Lake, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Surgical Splint= My invention consists of a sectional frame for the treatment of diseases and injuries of the human body from the waist line down. It will be seen that this is really a suspension splint, holding those parts of the body above the base in a sling, without padding, exactly fitting to the line of those parts of the body.

The accompanying drawings clearly illustrate the construction of this splint, its manner of application, and by the following de scription is more fully explained.

Figure 1 shows the foot and leg, and the thigh and the'hip sections joined together.

Fig. 2 shows the hip frame wi h the base of the thigh frame joined to it. The thigh, leg and foot frames laid ,open to facilitate placing the limb, as in the old fracture box splint.

Fig. 3 shows the construction of the crossbrace, or base; and the support for the leg and thigh leg rests.

Fig. t shows the rocker as attached to a le or thigh longitudinal base.

*ig. 5 shows the hinge to connect an outer longitudinal base-rest, and an outer thighrest to the hip frame.

Fig. 6 shows the sections of the splint as applied to a patient, holding those parts of the body suspended above the base.

Fig. 7, the fenestrated hinge to connect the inner longitudinal base-rest of a thigh section to a hip frame.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rods A. of the foot frame slip into tubes B to permit adjustment of the height of the foot frame. The rods A are held in tubes B by tightening nuts a on top of B. The rods A are bent to surround the sides of the anterior part of a foot, and are turned to a horizontal plane to form the leg-rests C of the leg frame. The tubes B are turned at their lower end to a horizontal plane, and there made long enough to form the tube of the clutch. The adjustable cross-base E of the foot frame regulates the width of this base, it loosely encircles this end of B. The encircling end 6 of the base E is toothed to couple with a like toothed ring Z) which is firmly fastened to B, thus forming a clutch, which is held Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 39, 1919.

Serial No. 39,211.

together by nut 2' on tube B. Into this horizontal end of B, the base rods D are firmly fastened. As shown in Fig. 3, the adjustable cross-brace E loosely encircles tube H, and the encircling ring 0 is toothed to fit into The tube H loosely slides along the base-rods D, and nuts I on each end of H hold (.2 and together. The top of the adjustable support F curves inwardly, to carry the leg-rests C over the leg, and loosely encircles C. The lower end of F loosely encircles H, and the encircling ring toothed to fit into e. The cross-base E regulates the width of the base of the leg frame, and the support F regulates the height of the legrests C. The perpendicular arms of the soreaders J'loosely encircle the foot and legrests, their horizontal arms overlap and are fastened together by screws. These spread ers hold the foot and legrests apart.

In Fig. 3 the supports F are looped at their upper ends C 0, through these loops the members C or K, Fig. 1 pass. These upper ends Co are curved inward an inch or more, which carries the members C or K over the upper surface of the limb, bringing these members C or K nearer together over the upper surface of the limb than the base members L, D, Fig. 1. By the clutch c, f, Fig. 3, the supports F can be inclined inward, bringing the members C, K still nearer together over the limb. Thus by the curve inward of supports F, or by inclining supports F inward, the bandages I?) and Cr Fig. 6, can be brought to press upon more surface of the limb than if members C, K were held directly perpendicularly above base members D, L, Fig. l.

The thigh frame has the leg-rests K, the base-rests L, cross-bases E, supports F. and spreaders J as in the leg frame, K and L are tubes into which C and D slip. In the adjustment of the length of the leg and thigh frames, these tubes may be slipped entirely over the rods C and D. On the lower ends of tubes K and L is a tightening nut a which holds the rods C and D into tubes K and L at desired lengths. The upper end of the outer base-rest L is threaded to screw direct into the lower end of the hip base-rest R, and the outer leg-rest K screws into the lower end of the hip rest S, of the corresponding side for a rigid connection. The threading on upper end of base-rest L, Figs. 1 and 2, is covered by the hinge W, which is screwed onto L. In Fig. 2, the threading on upper end of outer leg-rest K is shown threaded at is. The inner leg-rest K is always free. For a movable joint the hinge V is used, these hinges are placed to swing either perpendicularly or horizontally, as desired. The inner thigh base-rest L is joined to the outer cross base T of hip frame by the hinge W, its fenestrations being placed according as the hinge is desired to swing.

As shown in Fig. 2, the hip frame has its rest S extended by the rods .9, sleeves being fastened in the centers of these rods. By a hand grasp on these sleeves, the rods 8 are easily turned. The bars R with their extending rods 1 and sleeves form the hip baserests. These base-rests are connected at each end by the adjustable cross-braces T. And from this base R the adjustable supports O, Figs. 1 and 2, hold up the hip-rests S. At each end of S the adjustable spreaders Q slip on, their height above the abdomen being regulated by their perpendicular arms. This hip frame being full width of the hips, allows for the attachment of one or two thigh frames which may be placed at an angle to the hip frame.

As shown in Fig. 6, the splint is adjusted to a patient, extending from the waist down. The suspending bands pass from a hip-rest on one side under the hips to the hip-rest on the other side. Over the thigh is a continuous encircling bandage around the legrests and thigh. On the leg, interrupted bands pass from a leg-rest on one side under the leg to the leg-rest on the other side of the leg. On the calf of the leg is shown a band removed from the outer leg-rest to expose that part of the calf. The foot is shown suspended from its foot-rest rod. Either manner of bandaging may be used on any part of the hips or leg. These parts of the body are held to hip and leg rests above,

and not touching the base, by these bands which act as a sling, forming a hammock like trough.

Along the outer side of the thigh, is shown one of the spiral springs for making extension upon the leg, the spring on inner side of thigh not showing. Cords from lower ends of these springs pass to the leg over pulleys on tubes B. At upper ends cords pass over a pulley hooked onto a support. By this arrangement, extension and counterextension upon the leg is provided for.

In Fig. 6, the springs Sp fasten to a sup port F at upper end of splint, the cord Cd is fastened to lower end of spring Sp, and passes over pulley P on B of foot frame, and then fastens to the limb, providing means for extension upon the limb.

As shown in Fig. 1, M indicates a conical compression spring resting against the foot frame. Cords from the leg to the apex of this spring also provide for extension upon the leg.

I claim:

1. A splint for the leg, having a base to rest upon a bed and passed beneath a limb, with side supports from this base curved inward at their tops, and adjustable at the base. so these supports can be inclined inward or outward, carrying supporting members above a limb. from which supports the limb is suspended.

2. In a splint, a practically horizontal base passing beneath the lower surface of an injured member, practically perpendicular standards arranged thereon, said standards curved inward at their upper end to carry suspending members over the upper surface of an injured member, toward its center longitudinal line.

3. A splint comprising a pair of substantially parallel base members, vertical members secured thereto, a pair of substantially parallel upper members supported by said vertical members, transverse elements connecting said parallel members, and means secured to said upper parallel members for suspending the injured member within said frame work and out of contact therewith, said vertical members being adjustable to vary the height of said framework and said transverse members being adjustable to vary the width thereof.

4:. In combination, a framework comprising four substantially parallel members spaced apart in fixed relation toform an inclosing framework within which an injured member may be slung, in combination with a spring arranged along one or both sides of said framework for exerting extension and counter-extension force upon said member.

ARTHUR A. RADGLIFFE. Witnesses:

L. H. LICHTFELD,

O. J. J ONES. 

